The effects of auxin on lateral root initiation and root gravitropism in a lateral rootless mutant Lrt1 of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Auxins control growth and development in plants, including lateral rootinitiation and root gravity response. However, how endogenous auxin regulatesthese processes is poorly understood. In this study, the effects of auxins onlateral root initiation and root gravity response in rice were investigatedusing a lateral rootless mutant Lrt1, which fails to formlateral roots and shows a reduced root gravity response. Exogenous applicationof IBA to the Lrt1 mutant restored both lateral rootinitiation and root gravitropism. However, application of IAA, a major form ofnatural auxin, restored only root gravitropic response but not lateral rootinitiation. These results suggest that IBA is more effective than IAA in lateralroot formation and that IBA also plays an important role in root gravitropicresponse in rice. The application of NAA restored lateral root initiation, butdid not completely restore root gravitropism. Root elongation assays ofLrt1 displayed resistance to 2,4-D, NAA, IBA, and IAA.This result suggests that the reduced sensitivity to exogenous auxins may be due tothe altered auxin activity in the root, thereby affecting root morphology inLrt1.     

锗对水稻的生态毒理效应及临界指标

土壤添加 Ge盆栽试验研究表明 ,低浓度 Ge(<4 m g/ kg)对水稻根和地上生物量、叶绿素 a含量有促进作用 ,并整体提高了作物抗氧化酶能力 ,使 MDA下降 ,SOD、CAT、POD、GSH- Px活性相应提高。而高浓度 Ge(>15 mg/ kg)对水稻根和地上生物量、叶绿素 a含量有明显的抑制作用 ,对抗氧化酶系统产生胁迫效应 ,使 POD明显上升 ,MDA上升 ,SOD、CAT酶活性明显下降。在高浓度 Ge胁迫下 ,植物细胞中抗氧化作用酶系统的受损打破了植物细胞内活性氧产生与清除间的正常平衡状态 ,积累过量的活性氧 ,使活性氧产生并积累 ,过量的活性氧引起膜脂过氧化程度加重 ,从而对植物产生毒害。各项生理指标与土壤 Ge处理浓度之间相关分析表明 ,土壤 Ge浓度与地上部干重相对百分率 ,根干重百分率、叶绿素 a/ b、MDA、SOD、CAT之间有显著相关性。比较胁迫效应 10 %值的临界指标 EC1 0 值表明 ,作物地上部干重抑制率和根干重抑制率作为土壤临界值制定的依据更为可靠 ,EC1 0 为 7m g/ kg     

Photosynthesis and root characteristics of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in floating culture

To address the issue of water eutrophication and to use water more effectively, we conducted experiments on rice (Oryza sativa L.) grown in floating culture. From 2009 to 2011, we compared the photosynthesis and root characteristics of the rice, hybrid line Zhuliangyou 02, grown under a conventional tillage and in a floating culture in Huaihua, the home of hybrid rice. Rice in the floating culture showed a higher net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance than that under the conventional tillage. The activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase and NADP-malic enzyme were 32 and 28% higher, respectively, in rice in the floating culture than under the conventional tillage. Rice in the floating culture also showed significantly greater number of roots, root activity, and antioxidant enzyme activity than that under the conventional tillage. Compared with rice under the conventional tillage, rice in the floating culture had 18 and 24% higher tiller number and effective panicle number, respectively. These results suggested that the floating culture system can promote rice production through enhancing root absorption, increasing effective panicle number, and improving the photosynthetic rate. In addition, rice cultivated in the floating culture could remove excess nutrients from water, which addresses the problems of a lack of arable land and water pollution.     

Heterosis breeding in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Summary Studies conducted at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) during 1980 and 1981 have shown up to 73% heterosis, 59% heterobeltiosis and 34% standard heterosis for yield in rice. The latter was estimated in comparison to commercial varieties: IR36 and IR42 (yield 4–5 t/ha in wet season trials and 7–8 t/ha in dry season trials). Generally speaking, absolute yield was lower and extent of standard heterosis was higher in wet season than in dry season with some exception. Yields up to 5.9 t/ha (22% standard heterosis) in the wet season and 10.4 t/ha (34% standard heterosis) in the dry season were obtained. Most of the hybrids performed better in some season while some performed better in both seasons. Hybrids showed better lodging resistance although they were 5–10 cm taller. F₁ hybrids had significant positive correlations with the parental traits viz., yield (r = 0.446), tillering (r = 0.746), height (r = 0.810) and flowering (r = 0.843). Selection of parents among elite breeding lines on the basis of their per se yield performance, diverse origin and resistance to insects and diseases should give heterotic combination. Yield advantage of hybrids was due primarily to increase in number of spikelets per unit area even though tiller number was reduced. Grain weight was either the same or slightly higher. High yielding hybrids also showed significant heterosis and heterobeltiosis for total dry matter and harvest index. For commercial utilization of heterosis in rice, effective male sterility and fertility restoration systems are available and up to 45% natural outcrossing on male sterile lines has been observed. Consequently, F₁ rice hybrid have been successfully developed and used in China. Prospects of developing hybrid rice varieties elsewhere appear bright especially in countries that have organized seed production, certification and distribution programs and where hybrid seed can be produced at a reasonable cost.     

Saturated humidity accelerates lateral root development in rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings by increasing phloem-based auxin transport

Auxin transport plays a significant role modifying plant growth and development in response to environmental signals such as light and gravity. However, the effect of humidity on auxin transport is rarely documented. It is shown here that the transport of labelled indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) from the shoot to the root is accelerated in rice (Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica cv. IR8) seedlings grown under saturated humidity (SH-seedlings) compared with plants grown under normal humidity (NH-seedlings). The development of lateral roots in SH-seedlings was greatly enhanced compared with NH-seedlings. Removal of the shoot from SH-seedlings reduced the density of lateral roots, and the application of IAA to the cut stem restored the lateral root density, while the decapitation of NH-seedlings did not alter lateral root development. Phloem-based auxin transport appeared responsible for enhanced lateral root formation in SH-seedlings since (i) the rate of IAA transport from the shoot to the root tip was greater than 3.5 cm h-1 and (ii) naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA)-induced reduction of polar auxin transport in the shoot did not influence the number of lateral roots in SH-seedlings. It is proposed that high humidity conditions accelerate the phloem-based transport of IAA from the leaf to the root, resulting in an increase in the number of lateral roots.     

Inheritance of two endosperm protein loci in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Summary Previous studies indicated two types of phenotypic protein markers as two minor bands of SDS-PAGE for rice storage protein. A variant derived from a Pakistani variety, Dular, was found to show a mobility variant with Band 11, a relatively faster-moving band as compared to Band 10, while most of the other cultivated rices exhibited Band 10 at a molecular weight of around 100–110 K. Band 11 was also observed in several wild rice species. How this variant occurred is not known. Another marker is characterized by the presence of either Band 56 (slower-migrating band) or Band 57 (faster-migrating band) in most cultivars at a molecular weight of about 28–27 K. Most indica varieties developed in Taiwan have Band 57 and japonica varieties have Band 56. Genetic analysis of F₁, F₂ and F₃ seeds from interstrain crosses indicated that Band 10 versus Band 11 and Band 56 versus Band 57 are due to codominant alleles at two loci. Tests of independent inheritance between these two loci (Band 10/11 versus Band 56/57) indicated that there is no linkage between them. Both of these two protein loci encode for endosperm proteins and mostly belong to the minor polypeptide subunits of the glutelin fraction of rice seed proteins. Studies on reciprocal crosses indicate dosage effects as exhibited in band patterns. Variations in band intensity were frequently observed when the maternal genotype was different.     

The role of lateral roots in bypass flow in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Although an apoplastic pathway (the so‐called bypass flow) is implicated in the uptake of Na⁺ by rice growing in saline conditions, the point of entry of this flow into roots remains to be elucidated. We investigated the role of lateral roots in bypass flow using the tracer trisodium‐8‐hydroxy‐1,3,6‐pyrenetrisulphonic acid (PTS) and the rice cv. IR36. PTS was identified in the vascular tissue of lateral roots using both epifluorescence microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Cryo‐scanning electron microscopy and epifluorescence microscopy of sections stained with berberine‐aniline blue revealed that the exodermis is absent in the lateral roots. We conclude that PTS can move freely through the cortical layers of lateral roots, enter the stele and be transported to the shoot via the transpiration stream.     

Genotypic variability for callus formation and plant regeneration in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Summary Sixty rice varieties (Oryza sativa L.), belonging to three subspecies, japonica, indica and javanica (some japonicaXindica hybrids were included), were compared for their capacity for callus growth and plant regeneration. Tissue cultures initiated from mature seeds on Murashige and Skoog's (1962) medium with 2 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) were transferred to a medium containing 0.02 mg/l 2,4-D and 10 mg/l kinetin, from which plantlets were regenerated. Large variabilities in callus growth and plant regeneration potentials were revealed among the varieties tested. Most japonica varieties formed a callus that weighed more than 100 mg per seed 30 days after inoculation, and showed a relatively high regenerative potential, whereas indica varieties, japonica-indica hybrids and javanica varieties showed poor callus growth and plant regeneration, although considerable varietal variation was observed in each subspecies. The callus growth potential was not correlated with the plant regeneration potential. Histological observations revealed that the epithelium cells of the scutellum mainly proliferated to form a callus, from which shoot and root primordia were differentiated independently from each other. The shoot primordia developed into plantlets when roots were formed adventitiously. In a few cases, shoots and roots were bilaterally initiated from a single primordium.     

Cytokinin inhibits lateral root initiation but stimulates lateral root elongation in rice (Oryza sativa)

Research in lateral root (LR) development mainly focuses on the role of auxin. This article reports the effect of cytokinins (kinetin and trans-zeatin) on LR formation in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Our results showed that cytokinin has an inhibitory effect on LR initiation and stimulatory effect on LR elongation. Both KIN and ZEA at a concentration of 1 microM and above completely inhibited lateral root primordium (LRP) formation. The inhibitory effect of cytokinin on LR initiation required a continuous presence of KIN or ZEA in the growth solution. Cytokinin did not show any inhibitory effect on LR emergence from the seminal root once LRPs had been formed. The LRPs that developed in cytokinin-free solution can emerge normally in the solution containing inhibitory concentration (1 microM) of KIN and ZEA. The KIN and ZEA treatment dramatically stimulated LR elongation at all the concentrations tested. Maximum LR elongation was observed at a concentration of 0.01 microM KIN and 0.001 microM ZEA. The epidermal cell length increased significantly in LRs of cytokinin treated seedlings compared to those of untreated control. This result indicates that the stimulation of LR elongation by cytokinin is due to increased cell length. Exogenously applied auxin counteracted the effect of cytokinin on LR initiation and LR elongation, suggesting that cytokinin acts on LR elongation through an auxin dependent pathway.     

Comparison of root length of two rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties by using an Image Analyzer

By using the image analyzer technique, the length of rice roots including the fine size (ca. 20 μm) roots was successfully measured. The analysis revealed that the roots of a high-yielding rice variety were 26% longer than those of an ordinary variety and that the root length of both varieties varied similarly depending on the fertilizer managements.     

Genotype and environment effects on rice (Oryza sativa L.) grain arsenic concentration in Bangladesh

Genetic analysis of 38 rice varieties released by the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) identified 34 as indica, 2 as admixed between indica and aus, and 4 as belonging to the aromatic/Group V subpopulation. Indica varieties developed for the two major rice-growing seasons, the wet monsoon (aman) and the dry winter (boro), were not genetically differentiated. The Additive Main Effect and Multiplicative Interaction (AMMI) model was used to assess the effect of genotype (G), environment (E) and genotype-environment interaction (GEI) on grain arsenic (As) concentration when these rice varieties were grown at ten BRRI research stations located across diverse agro-ecological zones in Bangladesh. G, E and GEI, significantly influenced grain As concentration in both seasons. Overall, E accounted for 69%–80%, G 9%–10% and GEI 10%–21% of the observed variability in grain As. One site, Satkhira had the highest mean grain As concentration and the largest interaction principle component analysis (IPCA) scores in both seasons, indicating maximum interaction with genotypes. Site effects were more pronounced in the boro than in the aman season. The soil level of poorly crystalline Fe-oxide (AOFe), the ratio of AOFe to associated As, soil phosphate extractable As and soil pH were important sub-components of E controlling rice grain As concentration. Irrespective of environment, the mean grain As concentration was significantly higher in the boro (0.290 mg As kg^?1) than in the aman (0.154 mg As kg^?1) season (p?<?0.0001), though the reasons for this are unclear. Based on mean grain As concentration and stability across environments, the variety BR3 is currently the best choice for the boro season, while BR 23 and BRRI dhan 38 are the best choices for the aman season. Popular varieties BR 11 (aman) and BRRI dhan 28 and 29 (boro) had grain As concentrations close to the mean value and were fairly stable across environments, while high-yielding, short-duration aman season varieties (BRRI dhan 32, 33 and 39) developed for intensified cropping had relatively high grain As concentrations. Results suggest that genetic approaches to reducing As in rice grain will require the introduction of novel genetic variation and must be accompanied by appropriate management strategies to reduce As availability and uptake by rice.     

Genetics of gel consistency in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Inheritance of gel consistency in rice was studied in crossés involving highamylose, low-gelatinizalion temperature parents with hard, medium, and soft gel consistency. The results of single-grain analysis of parents, F₁, F₂, B₁F₁, B₂F₂, and their reciprocal crosses from a single-season harvest showed that the differences between hard and soft, hard and medium, and medium and soft gel consistency are under monogenic control and that modifiers affect the expression of the trait. Multiple alleles at the same locus, hereby designated asgec ^a for medium gel consistency andgec ^b for soft gel consistency, were recessive to the wild type allele for hard gel consistency andgec ^a was dominant overgec ^b. The results indicate that selection for desired gel consistency can effectively be done in early segregating generations.     

QTLs for nitrate induced elongation and initiation of lateral roots in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

To investigate the genetic background of nitrate-induced elongation and initiation of lateral roots in rice (Oryza sativa L.), a doubled haploid (DH) population, derived from a cross between IR64 and Azucena, which showed different responses to local supplied NO₃ ^– in lateral root elongation and initiation, was used in an agar culture experiment with three separated layers. The second agar layer was supplied with 3 mM NO₃ ^– or without NO₃ ^– as two treatments. Average lateral root length, lateral root number and surface area of lateral roots in the second agar layers with and without nitrate, respectively, were measured. The ratio of the parameters from the two treatments were calculated as derived parameters. Seven putative Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for the 6 lateral root traits in nitrate-deficient and nitrate-supplied layers were detected. These QTLs individually explained about 9% to 15% of the total phenotypic variations in the traits. Identical QTLs for root traits from other reports with QTLs detected in this case were found, which suggests that the genetic factors responsive to local supplied NO₃ ^– is involved in root growth and development     

Mapping quantitative trait loci associated with root penetration ability in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Root penetration ability is an important factor for rice drought resistance in areas with soils subject to both compaction and periodic water deficits. However, breeding for root penetration ability is inhibited by the difficulties associated with measuring root traits. Our objective was to identify restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) associated with root penetration ability. Using wax-petrolatum layers as a proxy for compacted soil, we counted the number of vertical root axes penetrating through the layer, the total number of vertical root axes and the number of tillers per plant of 202 recombinant inbred (RI) lines over three replications. As a measure of root penetration ability, we used a root penetration index defined as the percent of the total number of vertical root axes that penetrated through a wax-petrolatum layer. The RI population exhibited a wide range in the number of penetrating roots axes (10–115 roots), the total number of roots axes (74–226 roots), tillers per plant (6–18), and in the root penetration index (0.11–0.71). Single-marker and interval quantitative trait analyses were conducted to identify RFLP loci associated with the number of penetrating roots, total root number, root penetration index, and tiller number. Four quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were associated with the number of penetrated roots, 19 with the total root number, six QTLs with the root penetration index and ten with tiller number. Individually, these QTLs accounted for a maximum of 8% of the variation in the number of penetrating roots, 19% of the variation in total root number, 13% of the variation in root penetration index and 14% of the variation in tiller number as estimated from regressions. The multimarker regression model accounting for the greatest proportion of the variation in the root penetration index was a three-marker model that accounted for 34% of the variation. Two-marker models accounted for 13% of the variation in the number of penetrated roots, 25% of the variation in total root number, and 21% of the variation in tiller number. This is the first research paper to apply RFLP quantitative trait analysis to dissect genetic loci associated with the total number of roots, root penetration ability and tiller number.Contribution from the Department of Plant and Soil Science, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX 79409, USA. Journal Number T-4-385     

根区通氧状况对水稻幼苗生长及吸收镉的影响

采用水培的方法研究了根区通氧状况对水稻根系结构、根系泌氧、根表铁膜生成以及水稻耐受、吸收Cd的影响.水培条件下,根区氧处理对水稻幼苗的生长产生了一定的影响,缺氧条件下的水稻根的伸长量降低,生物量增加,直径增粗,根系泌氧量增加,并降低幼苗对Cd的吸收.当培养溶液Cd2+浓度为1.0 mg/L时,缺氧处理相对于通氧处理,根表吸附的Cd降低了85 5%,地下部分吸收的Cd降低了35%,转运到地上部分的Cd降低了58%.根表铁膜对Cd的吸收和转运也有一定的抑制作用,但其作用因环境中Cd2+浓度和根区通氧状况而异.在根区通氧充分的培养条件下,水稻幼苗铁膜对较高浓度Cd2+(1.0 mg/L)的吸收和转运起着重要的作用,DCB-Cd占根系吸收Cd的50%,茎叶对Cd的吸收显著降低(p<0.05).研究表明在缺氧胁迫下,根系结构本身(如根表通透性降低)是影响水稻吸收Cd的重要因素.     

Arsenic toxicity to rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Bangladesh

Natural contamination of groundwater with arsenic (As) occurs around the world but is most widespread in the river basin deltas of South and Southeast Asia. Shallow groundwater is extensively used in the Bengal basin for irrigation of rice in the dry winter season, leading to the possibility of As accumulation in soils, toxicity to rice and increased levels of As in rice grain and straw. The impact of As contaminated irrigation water on soil-As content and rice productivity was studied over two winter-season rice crops in the command area of a single tubewell in Faridpur district, Bangladesh. After 16–17 years of use of the tubewell, a spatially variable build up of As and other chemical constituents of the water (Fe, Mn and P) was observed over the command area, with soil-As levels ranging from about 10 to 70 mg kg^?1. A simple mass balance calculation using the current water As level of 0.13 mg As L^?1 suggested that 96% of the added arsenic was retained in the soil. When BRRI dhan 29 rice was grown in two successive years across this soil-As gradient, yield declined progressively from 7–9 to 2–3 t ha^?1 with increasing soil-As concentration. The average yield loss over the 8 ha command area was estimated to be 16%. Rice-straw As content increased with increasing soil-As concentration; however, the toxicity of As to rice resulted in reduced grain-As concentrations in one of the 2 years. The likelihood of As-induced yield reductions and As accumulation in straw and grain has implications to agricultural sustainability, food quality and food security in As-affected regions throughout South and Southeast Asia.